Kia Rio - Variants explained

The Philippines market is considered to be blessed with such a vast number of cars to choose from, especially in the budget-friendly price segment. The hatchback segment falls under this category and is extremely ripe with a considerable number of options to choose from.

The Kia Rio is one of the handsome hatchbacks that is seen plying on the road in huge numbers. It isn’t a perfect hatchback in its form (nothing is perfect in this world), but it displays capabilities that make it superior to most of its competition.

For the local market, (the Philippines, that is), the Kia Rio is sold in four variants - 1.4 SL MT, 1.4 SL AT, 1.4 DX AT, and 1.4 GL AT. Hence, there isn’t anything complex to understand about this hatchback, unlike some premium cars.

Before we come down to breaking it down for the variants, let us first talk about how the car looks from the outside and feels from the inside. Also, check out its Kia Rio features here. 

It is all about the design

The Kia Rio looks premium for a hatchback. It has several styling elements that make it stand out among its competitors, like the extremely glossy paint scheme. The sweptback projector headlamps setup offer great illumination and look gorgeous. The front panel continues to carry the recognisable Kia grille. The fog lamp cluster is present on the island of black cladding.

The side profile is very simple yet classy with the approach. The design language on the front fenders is reduced to a bare minimum, but the wheel arches are prominent enough to be visualised from a distance.

However, the rear is extremely funky and looks way different than what the front and side would appeal. The roof spoiler at the top has LED stop lights. The combination tail lights split on the tailgate and features LED additions.

Comfortable on the inside

The Kia Rio is one of the few hatchbacks that have amazing noise insulation. The driving buzz from the outside has very little access to the cosy cabin. It is designed to make it easier for the drivers to take it on busy streets, thanks to the large windows and no obstructive pillars.

Though the car lacks in terms of soft additions on the dashboard and other places, the hard plastics do not displease by a lot as the quality is pretty fine. The seats have a generous amount of cushioning and feel very comfortable right from the word ‘go’. The leg room at the rear is great and medium to tall passengers would not face difficulty. The cargo space is imposing too, and with the rear seats folded, you get access to a world of space.

Kia Rio variants

The Kia Rio is available in just four variants - 1.4 SL MT, 1.4 SL AT, 1.4 DX AT, and 1.4 GL AT.

Kia Rio 1.4 SL MT: The Kia Rio 1.4 SL MT has a 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine under the hood. This engine is capable of making 100 PS of power and 133 Nm of torque. The power is transmitted to the front wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox.

For safety, the variant has dual front airbags. However, ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution is missing in this trim and it also lacks basic connectivity features like Bluetooth. It rides on 15-inch alloy wheels.

Kia Rio 1.4 SL AT: Being the big trim in the variant list, the Rio 1.4 SL AT is quite different than the base model. It is powered by the same 1.4-litre 4-cylinder engine and outputs the same amount of power. What sets this version apart from the base one is that this uses a 4-speed automatic gearbox for power transmission. Also, it has passenger airbags, which is absent from the base model.

The other two top-end models, namely the 1.4 DX AT and 1.4 GL AT also have the same mill and get the same amount of power delivery. Like the 1.4 SL AT, these two also uses automatic transmission gearbox. We find variation in terms of safety modules. The 1.4 DX AT and 1.4 GL AT gets the assistance of ABS and also houses better comfort modules.

Concluding words

The Kia Rio is a great hatchback to be considered in the entry-level hatchback segment. However, the fact that the trims are varied a lot in terms of safety features is a bit disappointing. Nonetheless, these are not enough to make Rio out of consideration.

Also Read:- Kia Seltos: Variants explained